Synonyms of deceptive

deceptive

adjective

di-ˈsep-tiv 

1

as in misleading

tending or having power to deceive

in his deceptive answer about the vehicle's history, the salesman said that the used car had never been hit by another car

Synonyms & Similar Words

• misleading
• false
• deceitful
• deceiving
• specious
• delusive
• incorrect
• beguiling
• ambiguous
• fallacious
• delusory
• inaccurate
• fraudulent
• deluding
• subtle
• cunning
• dishonest
• sneaky
• trick
• wily
• crooked
• tricky
• duplicitous
• crafty
• shifty
• artful
• underhanded
• perplexing
• slick
• treacherous
• puzzling
• sly
• untrustworthy
• mendacious
• devious
• lying
• subtile
• confounding
• shady
• wrong
• untruthful
• distracting
• underhand
• insidious
• foxy
• counterfeit
• artificial
• evasive
• faithless
• guileful
• perfidious
• hypocritical
• forged
• bogus
• fake
• bewildering
• spurious
• trickish
• phony
• sham
• insincere
• ambidextrous
• knavish
• feigned
• dissembling
• circuitous
• equivocal
• jive
• defrauding
• fast
• sneaking
• backhanded
• double-dealing
• two-faced
• left-handed

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• straightforward
• forthright
• direct
• plain
• nondeceptive
• open
• frank
• straight
• candid
• outspoken
• aboveboard
• illuminating
• explanatory
• revealing
• truthful
• plainspoken
• revelatory
• clarifying
• openhearted
• honest
• trustworthy
• free-spoken
• foursquare
• elucidative

2

as in fraudulent

given to or marked by cheating and deception

a mail-order firm indicted for deceptive business practices

Synonyms & Similar Words

• fraudulent
• shady
• dishonest
• crooked
• false
• duplicitous
• fast
• rogue
• shifty
• underhanded
• underhand
• bent
• artful
• sharp
• deceiving
• guileful
• deceitful
• treacherous
• unscrupulous
• unethical
• subtle
• double-dealing
• unprincipled
• cunning
• unconscionable
• delusive
• beguiling
• slick
• wily
• slippery
• sly
• crafty
• sneaky
• insidious
• tricky
• cagey
• delusory
• devious
• furtive
• foxy
• perfidious
• deluding
• trickish
• defrauding
• sneaking

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• honest
• straight
• ethical
• honorable
• decent
• conscientious
• scrupulous
• just
• upright
• aboveboard
• straightforward
• forthright

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of deceptive

If a food delivery service raises prices because its data shows a customer may be unable to leave home, that would be deceptive. — Ashley Belanger, ArsTechnica, 21 Aug. 2026

Critics have accused Freedom 250 of politicizing and profiting off the milestone, with congressional Democrats accusing it of wire fraud and other deceptive fundraising practices in a report published last month. — Rachel Treisman, NPR, 21 Aug. 2026

In response to a list of questions that ProPublica submitted to the governor’s office, a spokesperson defended the amendment using much the same language that critics call deceptive. — Jeremy Kohler, ProPublica, 21 Aug. 2026

And, given his high release point, deceptive delivery and deep repertoire, where batters can’t often make good contact. — Marc Topkin, The Orlando Sentinel, 19 Aug. 2026